Not Your Ordinary Love Story
by LondonWitch
Summary: A bet on how long til Ron and Hermione get together, a dare for Harry and Ginny to date, and a plan that involves truth-telling candies. Add a crazed Draco, a lovesick Cho, and a bunch of scheming Gryffindors - it's not your ordinary love story! Finished.
1. Haven’t A Clue

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: Contrary to what you may think while you read this story, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. Also, contrarily, while we're at it, I do not think that Ginny and Draco belong together even though Draco does (think that)...well, you'll see in the end. (Oh, what now, Andrew?)

**Chapter One: Haven't A Clue**

* * *

_Friday, September 20th_

"_Honestly_, Ron, when are you ever going to grow up? You need to stop with the whole spider thing," Hermione sighed, lugging her heavy schoolbag up to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione were making their way back from a tiring Care of Magical Creatures class, and had encountered a row of spiders on the second floor. Ron, of course, had squealed and jumped backwards, knocking Hermione to the ground and causing her array of books to go flying in every direction and crash to the floor.

"Hermione, I _can't_! I just can't! How would you feel if something you loved turned into a giant spider? Like...like – your pillow, or something?" Ron shot back, shuddering at the remembrance of his teddy bear growing eight long, scaly legs. That was a memory he'd rather not re-visit again.

Hermione mumbled something under her breath while Harry said loudly to the portrait "Patronus," the password, and it swung open. Harry clambered into the large Common Room, leaving Ron and Hermione to their quarrel. He did not want to get involved...ever since that whole Krum/ Hermione/ Harry triangle, anyway. It was best to let them go at it and work the problem out, eventually, by themselves.

"What was that, Hermione? Did I just hear you say 'Mr. Reginald the 3rd?' Who in the world is Mr. Reginald the 3rd? No – wait – you're going out with some older guy! _Hermione_! 'Mr.'? Are you serious?" Ron seethed. He'd been mad as it was over Viktor Krum; now, if it was some thirty year old...Hermione was going to get it big-time. His ears started to go red with fury.

"NO! Mr. Reginald the 3rd is a yellow stuffed elephant I've had since I was two years old. And, for your information; no, I wouldn't like him to turn into a spider. So...so, I'm sorry," Hermione replied, turning a bit pink and following the long-gone Harry into the Common Room.

Ron walked up behind her. "Okay, then. No older guys, no worries – phew," he muttered, grinning in spite of himself. He didn't really notice what he was doing; actually, until Harry came up next to him and began to wave in front of Ron's face and everything of that nature.

"Earth to Ron. Come in, Ron. Are you even here with us? Or are you in Ronville?" Harry asked as he followed Ron's gaze to Hermione, who was now sitting in a squashy armchair, reading a hefty book titled 'Arithmancy – Numerology through the Times'.

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah, right, Ronland..." Ron said distractedly, still staring at the sixteen-year-old girl just across the room. "Don't you love the way her hair curls, Harry? And her eyes? They're like Honeydukes chocolate; they're – gorgeous and...brown. And...and..." Ron broke off, and looked at Harry, who was doubled over in a fit of silent laughter next to him.

"Hello, Ron. And how is Hermione today, since you seem to be concentrating on her rather than yourself?" Harry managed to say, still laughing, his green eyes watering.

Ron's eyes opened very wide, he was mortified. He hadn't even realized what he was saying or seeing. Looking around and abandoning Harry, he darted up the stairs to the boy's dormitories, humiliated.

Harry walked over to the couch in front of the fire where Seamus, Dean, and Neville were sitting. They were discussing something and Seamus was scribbling on a long sheet of yellowed parchment.

"Hey, guys. How's the bet coming?" The whole of Gryffindor house was betting on how long until Hermione and Ron got together. Even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were in on it. Judging by the sheet that Seamus had, there were quite a few takers.

"Not bad, Harry, not bad," Neville said, "But what was that all about with Ron? Is he crushing or what?" The group laughed again at Ron's expense, not only at the recent thing, but at Ron's sudden tongue-tied-ness every time seemed to get near Hermione.

"So, d'ya want to make a bet, Harry? You haven't, still....but then, they are your best friends. Sure you want to risk it?" Dean asked, grinning at the predicament Harry would be in if this all backfired on them. Not that it would, though. The whole school knew that Hermione and Ron liked each other. The two just weren't planning to admit it anytime soon.

"Yeah, why not?" Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out two galleons, handing them to Seamus, who scribbled Harry's name and wager onto the paper and placed the gold in his robes. Absentmindedly, as Seamus did so, he scratched his nose with his quill and got a great long streak of black ink all over his left nostril. The group laughed again, and pointed at his nose.

"So, how long do you think it'll be before they get together? We've got a nice range – anywhere from three days to eighteen months," Seamus inquired, running his finger over his nose, trying to get the ink off, and looking avidly at Harry as he did so.

"Oh, give them a week, I'd say. Maybe not even that long, but who knows. They haven't a clue that they like each other, I think," Harry said, grabbing his schoolbag from where he'd set it on the floor, "Now, if you don't mind, I've got to go see if Ron needs some psychological help. I think he's going to need it."

With that, Harry walked off towards the stairwell to the boy's dorms. The three boys that were left watched him go, and Neville remarked, "Well, we need to fix him up with somebody. Cho's definitely out of the picture."

Dean nodded, and added, "How about someone in Gryffindor? That way, she could be on our side during the Quidditch matches."

"Is Quidditch all you think about? I thought you were more into soccer, or football, or whatever that was," said Seamus, waving his quill in the air to make a point, "And how about this bet?" He started to ramble on about facts and figures again, and produced a few more sheets of parchment out of the pockets of his robes as he talked.

"Yeah, whatever," Dean and Neville said at the same time, and they too got up and left, leaving Seamus all to his lonesome with nothing but twenty pieces of parchment and a quill.


	2. You’d Never Expect It

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: I don't own these people, places, or things. If I did, don't you think this stuff would be in the stories, instead of all that Voldemort nonsense? Anyway, like I was saying...I hope you enjoy the story, and please review. Oh, I have to thank my friend Christian for the whole Malfoy-staring-at-Ginny's-butt thing. Grins to self, and then remembers she must actually go and write the story before she can post it.

**Chapter Two: You'd Never Expect It**

* * *

_Friday, September 20th_

Ever since his fourth year incident with Professor Moody and the whole bouncing ferret thing, Draco Malfoy was very keen not to mess around in the corridors. He didn't stop or talk or even bully the first years, but just walked straight from one class to another. Except for every Friday, after 4 o'clock Potions with Snape.

"Hey...er, boss? Boss?" Goyle said in his deep voice, almost a pig-like grunt, "Do you want to go practice some Quidditch? Uh...boss?"

Clearly Draco wasn't paying attention. Contrary to his normal brisk pace through the halls, he was lingering a few feet away from the door of McGonagall's Transfiguration class. Right now, her class was in session – the fifth years were there. And a certain girl – a red-headed Weasley girl, to be exact – was there, too.

The bell rang as the class spilled out of the broad doorway, and Draco was staring avidly at Ginny Weasley. She was taller, now, like her annoying older brother Weasel-by, with big baby-blue eyes. Ginny glanced around, hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder and sighed, running her right hand through her mass of red hair. She jogged up the corridor, calling, "Hey, Luna, wait up!"

"Boss?" Goyle tried again, nudging Crabbe hard in the ribs to get his attention as well. Crabbe snorted and jerked his head up off his chest, wiping a stream of drool form the corner of his mouth. He had been sleeping while standing upright. How he could do this was a mystery to everyone in the sixth year.

"What? Goyle, I am obviously in a state of great intelligence. I was **thinking**, you morons! You do not interrupt me when I am on the verge of thinking about a scientific breakthrough!" Draco sneered, smacking both of his henchmen on the back of their heads. He glanced around and stormed off towards the Great Hall, where dinner would be served before long.

_Shortly after, still Friday, September 20th..._

The door to the Gryffindor common room swung open and banged against the stone wall, the noise echoing through the room. The girl who had climbed through stomped across the room and threw her bag onto one of the many couches in the corner.

"Gin?" said Ron, edging towards her. He'd come down after some serious counseling from Harry, who had pointed out that it was either fight with Hermione constantly or have no one to correct his homework. "Are you alright?" Ron was hoping Ginny wasn't going to hex him with a bat-bogey spell just for asking that.

"Oh, I'm alright!" Ginny almost screamed back, in a high-pitched voice, "Yes, yes, I'm just _peachy_! Except for the small fact that Draco Malfoy keeps staring at my butt!" She smacked her hand on the couch with a thud and groaned loudly, sinking down into the corner and wishing with all her might to be invisible.

By this time, several people were staring at them. Hermione, noticing the commotion from her vigil perch with her book, got up and joined the two youngest Weasleys. "Is she alright? Why does Malfoy keep staring at her?" Hermione asked Ron.

Ginny heard this, and as Ron shrugged she whined, "Because I think he's in love with me! ME! That slimy, foul, evil, loathsome little git likes ME! I'll tear him to pieces, that imbecile!" Again she aimed to smack the couch, but missed, as Ron's hand was in the way.

"OW!" Ron yelled in pain as Hermione sat down next to Ginny and put an arm around her shoulder, talking to her in a soothing kind of voice. "It's okay, Gin, we're going to find a way to get him to stop looking at your butt. And stop liking you," Hermione added as an afterthought.

"Why bother?" Ron said, shaking his hand vigorously to rid it of the pain. Ginny was small, but she was a pistol. "I'll just rip him to shreds, like Ginny said. And if he ever – EVER – stares at your butt again, Gin...I give you permission to pummel him. Better yet, write to his father. It would 'bring shame upon the whole family,'" Ron said, imitating Lucius Malfoy's oily manner.

Ginny let out a small laugh and punched Ron lightly in the shoulder. "That's exactly what I'll do. You'd never expect it – that he likes me and all. Anyway, thanks, Ron. Hmmm...you boys are actually good for something." She got up and called back something about homework to do in the library, as she walked towards the door.

Ron smiled, thinking that he had been complimented, until he actually thought it through for a second. "HEY!" he yelled at Ginny's retreating back, "That was an _INSULT_! NOT FAIR!" He turned to Hermione, who was still sitting on the couch a few inches away from him. "How does she make it sound like a compliment when she's really insulting us?"

"I dunno, Ron. But maybe you can be good for something else and come and help me carry all my books over to a table," Hermione replied, eyeing the second year students that were crowding around her History of Magic essay on goblins that was laying on her chair.

"What will you give me for it? Will you do my essay?" Ron asked, jumping at the chance for less work. He had been swamped with work ever since Harry, the new Quidditch team captain, had ordered every-other-day practices. Maybe Hermione really would agree if he helped her...

"No, Ron. But as my best friend, I think it is your duty to help me either way. That includes carrying stuff for me when I'm about to drop it." They were now standing in front of Hermione's chair, littered with books, as she tried to pick everything up. Ron sighed and grabbed a few books from her, making his way through the crowd of students to a table.

A few yards away, three of the sixth year Gryffindor boys were, yet again, discussing their stimulating bet. Dean and Neville had decided not to abandon Seamus after all. "We need a plan to get Ron and Hermione together soon," said Neville. "The way I see it, most people have bet that it'll be awhile before they confess. So, if we get them together now, we'll make more money."

Seamus nodded, seeing the point, a bit of ink still on his nose. Dean looked around, then leaned closer into the group, "Maybe it's time to get the girls involved. You know – Parvati, Lavender, that whole crowd? Lavender can make a mean Love Potion, I hear."

They just grinned and Seamus pulled out a new sheet of parchment, scribbling yet again, and the boys set to creating a plan.


	3. In Which A Dare Is Set

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: I've been waiting to write this chapter for some time, but I haven't had the time. But now I do, finally, so please enjoy it. Enjoy the fact that I don't own these characters, so you can you use them yourself...but I do own the plot, so please don't use that. You know, these Author Notes are intended to be short, but as I feel like drawing this one out, I'm rambling on like this about how I'm making this A/N longer. Odd, huh?

**Chapter Three: In Which A Dare Is Set**

* * *

_Sunday, September 22nd_

"Got any sixes, Hermione?"

"Go fish."

And so the card game continued. Though it was a Sunday, the whole of Gryffindor house was very bored indeed. There was nothing to do inside, and there was definitely nothing to do outside; as it was pouring rain. Even Hermione had given up on reading for once, and was now involved in a 'rousing' game of Go Fish with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Seamus and Neville. No one knew where Dean had gone, although everyone except Ron and Hermione expected it had something to do with the plan.

But the game wasn't remotely fun, even though they were playing with a pack of Exploding Snap cards. As Ron's cards blew up in his face, singing his eyebrows as they did every time, Ginny threw her hand of cards down and sighed. "I'm bored of this. We need something entertaining to do."

"Like...what? Because I'd suggest lighting Malfoy's head on fire, but I think Snape would catch us at it. Or Filch," Harry added, abandoning his cards as well. Hermione took everyone's cards gingerly, as not to set them off, and put them back into the box. "It's not worth the effort...he's not worth the effort," she said briskly.

"How about Duck Duck Goose? _Man_, that is a good game. I haven't played that since..." Neville trailed off, as everyone was staring at him with This-Guy-Is-Nuts looks on their faces. "Okay, obviously not," he mumbled, retreating from the conversation for the time being.

"I know! Oh, pick me, pick me! Truth or Dare! Who wants to go first?" Seamus said, he was specifically looking for a way to find out if Ron had been the one to take his maroon orangutan-and-octopus-printed boxers the other day. Well, what could you say? Seamus just wanted them back.

Anyway, back to the story. So, Ginny said, "Alright, I'll do it. Hmmmm...how about...Hermione? Truth or dare?" She grinned at her bushy-haired friend, who was now turning a light shade of red after being put in the spotlight.

"Oh, I dunno. Emmm, truth – no, dare – no..." Hermione argued with herself, not wanting to say anything too embarrassing, but knowing that Ginny could have very bad dares up her sleeve sometimes.

"D'ya want me to pick for you? 'Cause it may not be pretty," Ginny laughed at Hermione, smiling at the rest of the group as they offered suggestions as to what Hermione should choose.

"Fine. Truth," Hermione covered her face with her hands, not wanting to look as Ginny decided her question. A very interesting question, Ginny thought, will be just right. Something to do with Ron, maybe? It would be so fun to make Ron embarrassed on _Hermione's_ part...

"Ready, Hermione? Here is your question: If you had to kiss somebody sitting here right now, who would it be?" Ginny said as maliciously as she had intended. Seamus raised his eyebrows and stared at Ron, wanting to see his expression. Ron's eyes were very wide, and he was staring at his fingernails as though there was nothing more interesting in the world.

Hermione's eyes were wider than Ron's as she stared helplessly around the group, knowing that she would have to do a dare if she refused to answer. She took a deep breath and said bravely, "Er – R...rrrrro....Crookshanks!"

"What? Who?" everyone questioned as they turned to stare at what Hermione was seeing. Crookshanks, awaken from a long nap by a group of rowdy fourth years, had wandered over and sat down between Hermione and Neville.

"Wait! That doesn't count! I said..." Ginny began, sputtering with the indignation of it all. She glared at Harry for help, kicking him in the shin when he didn't come to her rescue.

As Harry yelped and massaged his shin, Hermione had her turn to smile at Ginny. "You said that it had to be 'somebody sitting here right now'. I believe that Crookshanks is a somebody and if I had to kiss somebody sitting here right now, it'd be Crookshanks, since he's my pet and I kiss him all the time."

"She's got you there, Gin," Seamus pointed out as the six of them laughed. Hermione could be very bright sometimes, and she had answered the question fairly. It was a shame that she hadn't finished saying 'Ron', though.

Now it was Hermione's turn to dare someone, and she now smiled at Ginny, who was still frowning over the loss of Hermione's embarrassment. "Okay, me. I choose – Harry. Truth or dare?"

"Ummm...dare." Harry really didn't want to have Hermione ask him a Truth question; after all, she was smart. She wouldn't give him a question he could trick his way out of. Even Crookshanks couldn't help him there. So he chose Dare, knowing that Hermione wouldn't have him break the rules.

"I dare you...hold on," Hermione interrupted herself, and leaned over to Ginny and whispered in her ear: "I'm going to dare him something drastic, but just go with it. It'll get you out of the whole Draco thing, alright?" Ginny nodded, eyeing her curiously, and Hermione went back to the dare.

"I dare you, Harry...to pretend to date Ginny. For two whole weeks. Starting tomorrow. And you have to make everyone who isn't in our group right now think that you two are going steady."

Harry's jaw dropped open as he stared at Hermione. Ginny was very red as well, and although she'd known it was coming, she too was staring at her friend with a look of surprise and astonishment.

Well, at least it isn't breaking the school rules, Harry thought glumly, looking at Ginny and giving her a weak smile. But what have I gotten myself into? And at least it's Ginny and not Millicent Bulstrode...

Ginny was thinking something along the same lines as she turned to look at Harry. I know Hermione, she thought, and this is just something she'd do. She and Ron are going to pay big-time. At least it'll get rid of Malfoy – I hope.


	4. The Plan

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: This will be a very short A/N. Just to refresh your memory, I don't own these lovely little characters, but I must thank those happy little voices in my head for helping me out with the plot. And I don't own the line from Shrek, either.

**Chapter Four: The Plan (Dean's Plan, Actually)**

* * *

_Sunday, September 22nd_

While some people were busy playing Truth or Dare, Lavender and Parvati had more important things to do. The two girls and Dean had gone to the library to do some drastic research – but it was most definitely not for schoolwork., even Trelawney's class, their all-time favorite.

"How about a Giggle Charm? We could put it on Hermione, and then she'd find everything so funny, she'd probably just tell him outright," Lavender said, pointing to a page in the thick, leather-bound book that she was holding, titled: 'Charm Crazy! How to charm almost everything...'

"No, even under a charm Hermione's very sensible. _And _logical. A potion, maybe?" Parvati suggested, dropping another stack of books on their table and causing them to fall all over the place.

After Seamus, Dean, and Neville's conversation, Dean had gone directly to Parvati, (his girlfriend), for help. She and Lavender were thrilled to do it, as they believed strongly that they were good matchmakers and could help anyone who needed it. So now the girls wanted to find a quick way to get Ron and Hermione together – because about three hundred galleons were riding on this bet.

"It would take too long to brew, I think. Yes, see here: 'The Love Potion must be started under a full moon, and then must simmer for six to eight weeks.' We don't **have** six to eight weeks! And the last full moon was two days ago – we'd have to wait a whole month to get started," Dean argued, reading aloud from a book devoted entirely to the Love Potion.

Lavender sighed and ran a hand through her long brown hair. "We need something that's fast-working, and preferably small, so that we could slip it to them when they aren't looking. A charm won't work, or a potion. Is there anything we could make that's edible? A cake, or parfait, or something?"

"Ooh, everybody loves parfait. There isn't a person on this whole dang planet who doesn't like parfait," Dean said in his best Eddie Murphy voice. The girls just stared at him blankly for a moment, until he said, "What? I'm muggle-born, remember? It's from a movie called Shrek."

"What's a movie? Does it move the letter E? And what's a Shrek?" Parvati said interestedly, abandoning her search through a hefty book entitled, 'Happy Potions 101'.

"Yes. No. Just forget I said it. Anyway, I think we need to call in the experts," Dean quipped, shutting the Love Potion book with a thud, "Experts that can make it for us, and experts who know them and know exactly what we'll need."

"Experts as in professors? I don't think McGonagall will be willing to help with this one...and Snape will put us in detention or something nasty like that. Or experts as in..._cooks_?" Lavender said, raising her eyebrows at the bad mental picture of the boys in frilly aprons, mixing a cake batter.

"No, no, experts as in Weasley experts. The **twin **Weasleys," Dean said, putting an emphasis on the word 'twin', as so the girls would get the picture, "You know, we could ask them to make us a candy that puts Ron and Hermione under a spell."

Parvati caught on, grinning, "_I_ see what you mean. It'll be a spell that makes them tell everyone how they feel about them. Okay, Dean, your job is to contact Fred and George and to get them to make the candies. Lavender, you'll come up with a way to get them to eat the candies. And me – I'm going to supervise."

"No fair!" remarked Dean, "I want to supervise!" He stuck his lower lip out in a puppy-dog pout kind of way and opened his eyes as wide as they would allow.

"Fine," Parvati snapped, she wasn't going to argue with Dean when she was in the middle of something important, "I'll figure out how to get Ron and Hermione somewhere together after we give them the candies. That way, they won't go telling Neville how they think he's a crazy psychopath or something, since it's a tell-them-how-you-feel type of candy."

So Dean got up, nodded once, and left the library. Parvati took that as a positive answer, and she turned to Lavender, who apparently still didn't get the general idea of the entire plan.

"_Experts_? Fred and George are experts? And they can _cook_?" Lavender asked skeptically, looking at Parvati expectantly for a reasonable answer. Anyone who had been near the twin's Canary Creams knew they couldn't cook – the Creams hadn't tasted nor smelled very good.

Parvati gave Lavender her patented You're-So-Naïve stare, and then pulled out an extra quill and piece of parchment. Looking very much like Seamus (except for the ink on his nose, he still hadn't managed to get that off yet), she began to scribble down some elaborate plans.

"Parvati!" Lavender whined, "What am I supposed to do?"

"Figure out how to get Ron and Hermione to eat a candy...it should be easy, Ron's a pig at mealtimes," Parvati replied briskly, barely looking up from her parchment. "With my plan in the works, I think we can get everyone out of the Common Room. We'll all hide on the stairwells, and leave them alone to eat the candy things."

"Why do I have a feeling that it's not just going to be us hiding? Because, you know, the bet's between all of the years. And the other houses...but we can't let them in," Lavender said, grateful that she was finally getting the gist of the conversation.

"True," Parvati mumbled, yawning a bit as she scratched her ear with her quill. Lavender laughed at her in a very un-Lavender like laugh, as it included snorting. "You should be going out with Seamus instead of Dean – the ink would match," she said.

Parvati threw a spare quill at her, and the girls shrieked and laughed until Madam Pince kicked them out of the once-quiet library.

* * *

A/N: I didn't intend to have so many couples and stories-inside-stories, but it's turning out really well. If you're like Lavender and you don't get the story plot right now, please ask a friend or stop reading. Wait – scratch that! Don't stop reading! I need all the reviews I can get! Thanks for every review I already do have. On to the next chapter!


	5. Yet Another Plan

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: Hmm, let's think for a second, shall we? If I was J.K. Rowling, would I really be sitting here in my little purple room owning nothing but a computer and $20? No, I don't own any of these awesome places, peoples, or things. I do own the plot and the magical candies that Fred and George make later, however.

**Chapter Five: Yet Another Plan**

* * *

_Early Monday, September 23rd_

"How many plans _are_ in effect, right now, at Hogwarts?" asked Ginny, rubbing her eyes to rid them of tiredness. She was scrunched up in a ball on top of one of the Common Room couches; it was almost one in the morning.

Harry shrugged, yawned, and answered, "Probably 'bout six or seven, but I'm only aware of two. Maybe three," he added, racking his brain, "One for Ron and Hermione – we're both in on that – one that we're making right now, and maybe one for Neville. I have a hunch that he likes Loony," he paused, "I mean Luna. Man, I'm tired."

"So why are we up this late? Why can't this plan start tomorrow morning?" Ginny checked her watch as she said this, "Correction – it **is** morning. It's 12:59 am and I have Potions first thing tomorrow...today."

What was left of the amber fire crackled and hissed as Harry looked around for anyone who might overhear them. "Because – we have to fool everyone. For two weeks. And, by the way, Ginny, I know why Hermione dared me to do this. You're having problems with Draco again, aren't you?"

Ginny blushed and said sheepishly, "Yes. No. _Fine_...yes. He's been staring at my butt again. And I think it would be in our best interest to lay down the basis of our 'relationship.'"

"Like what?" Harry questioned, stretching his arms high above his head, "Like how often we hold hands or something dumb and romantic like that?"

Ginny shook her head strongly, thinking at the same time that she would just never understand boys. They really needed to come with a handbook or a flashing neon sign that told you why boys thought the way they did. Ginny would gladly buy five or six.

"No, when we first started going out, how long we've liked each other, et cetera, et cetera," she explained with a sigh, "For example, at breakfast you can come up to me and say something like: 'Hi, sweetie' and then I say..."

Harry cut her off, appalled. "Sweetie? Where did you get the crazy idea that I'm going to call **anybody** _Sweetie_? It sounds like the name of a Muggle candy – better yet, what we should call that candy for Ron and Hermione." After the Truth or Dare game, and the plan that Dean and the two girls had come up with, everyone had been filled in on everything. Well, Dean and Parvati and Lavender didn't know about the Harry/ Ginny dare, at least.

"_No_, Harry," Ginny said empathetically, "You have to convince everyone you're in love with me. And vice versa. So we have to be all mushy and stuff – not that I mind getting roses once in a while," she hinted with a small smile.

"Fine. Roses it is," Harry said, thinking this was part of her plan, "I'll show up with roses – red or yellow? – and sound all mushy. I'll even throw in a 'sweetheart' or 'pumpkin pie' somewhere along the way. Happy? Now, can we go to bed?"

Ginny grinned. Now he was getting it! All they'd need is for Ron to give Hermione roses – then everyone would be set for the next two weeks. "Yellow. Professor Sprout has got some, I think, but make sure you get the non-magical kind, not the ones that bite your nose off. And yes, I'm thrilled you've finally gotten the point, Harry James Potter. Finally. Goodnight."

And with that, the red-headed girl got up and started to walk off towards the girl's dorms. But something in her gut stopped her. She whirled around to find Harry standing almost exactly behind her, staring at her.

"Don't do that, Harry! What's the matter _now_?" Ginny was the one who was anxious to get to bed, now. It really was crucial to be alert for the 'early-bird special' of Potions, especially when Snape had mentioned that every potion brewed was to be on the O.W.Ls.

"Um – if we're...er...going out...does that. Does that. Does that – erm, does that mean I have to kiss you?" Harry asked, going as red as you can get for a Potter, since the Weasleys were the ones with the really deep blushes.

Ginny raised her eyebrows and silently cursed her luck. She'd forgotten this was coming. "Er – Harry? Can we...erm...can we cross that bridge when we come to it?"

Harry looked away for a moment, staring at nothing. When Ginny cleared her throat, he seemed to focus again. "Oh, yes, sure. Goodnight, then." Ginny smiled at him slightly and continued up to her dormitory. Harry was left standing there, feeling somewhat disappointed and put out.

Why can't I get over this? It's a silly dare – nothing more. I think, he added to himself heavily. And he too went to bed, following suit.

_At breakfast, later on the morning of Monday, September 23rd..._

"Why must we go through this **every** morning, Ronald? Some of us do not need to see your food while it is half-way chewed up, much less be spit on by it," Hermione said, disgusted, adjusting her Daily Prophet so that it shielded her from Ron's spray of porridge and toast.

"It's Ron, thank you very much, and maybe you shouldn't look at my mouth while I'm chewing if it bothers you!" Ron shoveled a few bites of pancake into his mouth now, accidentally dropping his fork in the process. Hermione sighed very loudly as so Ron would notice.

"What was that for? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"_Despicable_ table manners, that's what!"

Ginny looked over at the bickering pair and frowned. When were they ever going to stop arguing and start admitting some feelings? It would be about time – this had been going on for too many years. Even the new first years had grown tired of it, and school hadn't been in session for four weeks yet.

As some more owls flew in overhead, Ginny checked her watch, with Ron and Hermione still going at it in the background. Breakfast was almost over and Harry still hadn't arrived with the roses. "Ron?" she asked, pulling him out of the quarrel for a moment, "Have you seen Harry this morning?"

"No, why?"

"No particular reason – other than he's my _boyfriend_, now," Ginny said flashing her older brother a grin. Ron cringed, not wanting to witness any fake lovey-dovey stuff on his sister's part. Or his.

Just then, Harry came bursting into the hall carrying a large bouquet of yellow stemmed roses. Ginny jumped up and pretended to be surprised. "Oh, Harry! How **sweet**! Thank you so very, very much!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly for everyone to see, laughing into his shoulder.

Harry gave her a small smile as he said, "Well, I couldn't resist, pumpkin pie. They were just so beautiful – like you," he added, making at least twenty girls in the hall go, "_Aw_!"

They sat down at the table and finished their breakfast. This is going to be a very interesting two weeks, thought Harry as Ginny said something with 'Honey bun' in it quite a few times.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, even if the number is sparse. If you like this story, try reading my Lily/James story called **A Frying Pan Can Mend It All**. I guarantee you'll laugh. And as for the roses in this chapter – well, any roses are good roses, if I do say so myself. Oh, and review and tell me what part made you laugh the most. 


	6. Plan Number Oh, Who Cares?

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: If you'd like to read two (other) great stories, try 'A Night At The Movies', and 'Sleeping Beauties and Sewing Machines'. They're both quite good, and the second story is Ron/Hermione AND Harry/Ginny. What could be better? Anyway, Thanks for taking your time to read this and sticking by me. I truly appreciate it.

**Chapter Six: Plan Number...Oh, Who Cares?**

* * *

_Monday, September 23rd_

Draco Malfoy glared at Harry Potter, wanting nothing other than for the boy's scarred head to catch fire. He wanted Harry out of the picture, and wanted Ginny all to himself. Not that she would take a second glance at him now...but she would eventually, _oh_, she would.

"Boys, I've been thinking," Draco started, putting down his half-eaten bagel and turning to his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Both were eating hungrily, as though they had been deprived of food for weeks. At the moment, Crabbe was swallowing large forkfuls of scrambled egg and Goyle was shoving spoonfuls of porridge into his mouth.

"That's good, boss, seeing as we don't," Crabbe grunted, while managing to gulp down an entire jug of pumpkin juice at the same time, without one breath at all. This was another mystery to the student body – coupled with the sleeping-while-standing-up thing, Crabbe belonged in a muggle circus.

Draco frowned even deeper than his usual plastered-on frown-smirk look, and gave Crabbe and Goyle both the evil eye. "Whatever, idiots. Now, I need your help..."

Goyle cut him off this time, talking around the food in his mouth, "Help? _Mental_ help? Or physical help? Cause if you don't mind me saying, boss, you're looking a bit pudgier than usual...maybe Overeaters Anonymous is the way to go?" Goyle had always been a bit smarter than Crabbe, but not by much. At least he managed to hold the handle of his wand, unlike Crabbe, who held it by the tip instead.

Malfoy had had enough. He stood up, pulled the piece of toast from Goyle's hand and remarked nastily, "**You're** the one who needs weight help," and stormed out of the Great Hall. Goyle just stared after him, and Crabbe was still concentrating on his meal.

"_Wait_!" Goyle cried, so that the entire Hall was staring at him, "Don't leave me! Think of everything we've _shared_!" This was so melodramatic and unexpected that everyone at the Gryffindor table promptly cracked up.

"Uh, Goyle?" Crabbe said, finally taking his beady eyes off of his plate and fixing them on Goyle, "One, you're not on a soap opera (A/N: Dawn, Cascade, or Dove?! Okay, that was really corny.). And...err...what's the next number? Yeah, anyway – you're not a girl."

Goyle looked at him curiously, "I'm not? I thought I was a goy-il," He pronounced this in a New York accent, and then realized that this was probably wrong, "Oh, yeah – er, right." Embarrassed by the earlier outburst and now turning bright red, he too left the Hall.

_A short while later, still Monday, September 23rd..._

After his little temper tantrum, Draco had gone off to the Owlery to ponder his plan. There were too many plans and bets going on right now, he thought as he stepped over the mess of feathers and droppings. The Gryffindors apparently had one to get Weasel and the Mudblood together, and the Slytherins actually had one for the exact same reason. Draco had bet three sickles that they'd get together in four weeks and then break up five days later, but that was just him.

"What I need now," Draco thought aloud, "Is revenge. Maybe if she sees me with another girl, and I treat this other girl great, then she'll think I'm great. She likes roses and sappy stuff, right? Right. So now all I need is a willing participant..." he stopped talking and looked around, hearing footsteps.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" A melodic voice from outside of the Owlery called, and it seemed to get a bit louder as the person approached. Draco stepped outside and glared down the tiny corridor. It was Cho Chang, who was looking prettier than ever at the age of seventeen and clutching a rolled-up piece of parchment.

"Ugh. Chang, you - " Draco started, ready to say something vile, but then he had an idea. "Hey, Chang, answer me this: do you still like Potter?" He rolled his eyes while he said 'Potter', obviously still upset over the fact that he was dating Ginny. His Ginny.

Cho chewed her lip, visibly debating with herself, and finally said, "What's it to _you_, Malfoy?" as she turned a light shade of pink at the thought of her and Harry together again. She'd mentally forgiven him during the summer, and wanted to get back together with him desperately.

"Oh, just the fact that I know a splendid little way to get him back for you. It'll work out fine for both of us, actually," he said, kicking a crumpled piece of parchment on the corridor floor. Cho walked into the Owlery, coaxed down a tawny barn owl, and then turned to face Draco, who'd followed her.

"How's that? Harry's going out with Ginny Weasley – everyone saw it at breakfast. And what's in it for you?" Cho said, turning back to the owl and tying onto its leg the letter she had been carrying.

"What's in it for me? Ginny, that's what. I get her and you get your precious Potter. All you have to do is pretend to be my girlfriend. We'll be so happy together that Potter is bound to want you back – and Ginny will know how sensitive I can _truly_ be."

To Cho, Draco had apparently thought this through. In actuality, he was making it up on the spot. But Cho thought it was a grand idea, and said, "Okay. Fine. Deal. But no kissing, got it? Maybe a hug if you're lucky." She walked away from the owl and it took off through the glass-less window.

"Deal," Draco said, echoing Cho. He stuck his hand out, Cho took it, and they shook heartily. "Well, I'm off to Charms, sweetums," Cho said sarcastically with a huge, bright, fake smile. She walked off down the corridor and waved a hand lazily behind her in parting.

Draco stared down the hall after her, calling lightly, "Okay, snookums! I'll – I'll see you at lunch, than!" He looked around and then groaned for having to say that out loud – and to anyone but Ginny.

I've got it made, I guess, he thought to himself as he walked back to the Great Hall. I've got an okay-looking fake girlfriend, and I'm on my way to getting Ginny.

* * *

A/N: "Hi! I'm your helpful narrator and I just wanted to fill you in on what this story is about. So far, we've got several plans in action. Number One is a bet by the Gryffindors to get Ron and Hermione together. Number Two is a spoof off of that bet, with Dean and Parvati and Lavender trying to get them together sooner with some candies. Those'll come in next chapter.

"Number Three is Harry and Ginny's plan. They're going to convince everyone that they're dating. This is because of Hermione's very small plan during the Truth or Dare game, which was actually Plan Number Four.

"And then there's Plan Number Five, which involves Draco and Cho. They're also pretending that they're dating, to win over Ginny and Harry. And lastly, Plan Number Six will be coming up in the next chapter. That's a Neville and Luna plan, courtesy of Harry and Ginny.

"So there you are! Thanks for reading!"

Sorry that that was a bit odd, just trying to help those that have really bad memories. Next chapter is coming up straightaway...Oh, hey, let me know in a review which part made you laugh...I like to make people laugh. :-)


	7. A Fred, A George, And Some Candies

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: Wow...chapter seven. When I started this, all I had planned was the Ron/Hermione bet and the Harry/Ginny dare, nothing with Draco/Cho, Dean/Parvati or Neville/Luna at all. I'm glad that everyone's enjoying themselves, and you all know the drill by now: this is not by J.K. Rowling. I am not J.K. Rowling. (Sigh.) Oh, and happy birthday, Jen, if this story actually matched up with the correct day. (Smile.)

**Chapter Seven: A Fred, A George, And Some Candies**

* * *

_Tuesday, September 24th_

'Time is galleons' was Fred and George's favorite saying. So unless it had to do with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes – _forget_ it. They wouldn't help out in a million years. Every particle of their being right now was devoted to their thriving joke shops, one each in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and a mail-order service in the Daily Prophet.

But when Dean Thomas wrote and asked them to help out with Ron and Hermione, the twins had to agree. Ever since about their third year at Hogwarts, Ron's second, they could see that he fancied her, and she him. Fred and George teased him constantly over the summer holidays after the Yule Ball, especially about Viktor Krum. That one _always_ hit a nerve.

In the end, it was decided that the twins would manufacture a magical candy called 'The Sweetie' (Ginny and Harry had suggested it), that would make the eater tell everyone they encountered what they truly felt about them. The properties would wear off after an hour or so. They'd send it to Dean by owl when they were finished, and it needed to be done soon if the Gryffindors wanted to win the majority of the bet.

The twins were sitting in their Diagon Alley office, George looking over some paperwork on last month's sales, and Fred thinking up ideas for this candy. He wanted to add all sorts of extra bells and whistles, but George had to put his foot down.

"Sorry, bro, but we've got to get Hermione to eat this. We can get Ron to eat any candy outright, but for Hermione they may have to conceal it inside of a biscuit or something," George had said after Fred suggested having the candy change your tongue to green after the truth property had worn off.

"Why can't we do something with color? I want to have fun with this, besides – we're not even getting _paid_," Fred almost whined, tossing above his head a joke wand, which changed into a yellow rubber duck as he caught it.

George thought about it for a minute, and then said slowly, "You know – you might be onto something. How about, if the truth property is still in effect, then your tongue is turned a light purple or something. Then, after it's gone, the color disappears. That way everyone would know whether you were saying something out of your own free will or not."

Fred grinned and squeezed the rubber duck excitedly, and it began to quack consistently and loudly. "I like it!" he yelled over the duck's din, "But can we make it so that the eater's mouth smokes for a few days afterward?"

George shook his head and whipped out his wand, muttering "Sonorous." The duck's quacking ceased. Fred sighed and went to look over his brother's shoulder at the paperwork. His eyes widened in disbelief as he groaned.

"We've only sold half of what we used to in Skiving Snackboxes at the Hogsmeade shop," he pointed out with the tip of his wand. The figures were smaller than any other product's on the page.

"Yeah, I heard that everyone was buying them there like mad, until a certain Gryffindor prefect started to confiscate them all. Colin and Dennis Creevey were talking about that last time I popped in over there," George replied with a hearty shake of his head.

"Three guesses who," Fred replied crisply, with a small smirk and a roll of his eyes.

"Ya'know, maybe that whole smoking at the mouth thing isn't such a bad idea after all," George mused, laughing. He got up and walked over to a table in the corner, it was buckling under the various joke-device-making equipment. "Let's get to work."

_Meanwhile at Hogwarts, still Tuesday, September 24th..._

The day following the 'rose charade', Harry and Ginny spent the better time of their lunch break strolling around the lake. This was helpful for several reasons: one, to give them a chance to get away from everyone who thought that they were going out, and two; to contemplate a plan to get Neville and Luna Lovegood together.

"Neville's very shy; I don't think he'd go for anything that was mushy, like a love letter or anything. It needs to be _subtle_," Harry pointed out as they passed a large clump of bushes shaped like hippogriffs.

Ginny nodded, and cocked her head to one side, thinking for a few minutes. She'd been more quiet than usual after the previous morning, and no one could figure out why. All of the student body who didn't know about the dare just assumed that she was too smitten with Harry to pay attention to anything else.

Harry had noticed the silence as well, and said very suddenly, "What's up, Ginny? Why haven't you said more than four words since we got out here? Not to mention yesterday afternoon?"

"I've said _five_ words since we've got out here, for your information: 'Let me think for awhile,'" Ginny huffed, glaring at him for no cause that Harry could figure. Harry was a bit taken aback, but he just raised his eyebrows and said nothing.

"And I think it **does** have to be subtle for Neville and Luna, but why are we worrying about **them**, Harry? Don't we need to 'contemplate our plan', or something?" Ginny added after another long pause. She bent down and yanked up a handful of grass for no particular reason, and then threw it into the slight breeze that blew about them.

Harry sighed. He didn't have to 'contemplate the plan', as Ginny called it – it was easy for him to pretend he loved her. Because...well...because he thought he probably did. Love her, he loved her. He'd come to that conclusion the night before, when he had been wondering about that hollow, empty feeling he'd gotten after Ginny hadn't kissed him. He sighed again, life was too confusing.

"What are you sighing for? If you really want to make a plan, I've got one for you." Ginny stopped in her tracks and turned quickly to face him. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "We tell Neville to meet you in the library at so-and-so time, he thinks you'll tutor him in Transfiguration. We tell Luna to meet me in the library at the same time, and she thinks I want an interview for the Quibbler or something. We don't show up. They're both there, and they talk. Simple as that."

"Good, good. But how did you know Neville isn't great in Transfiguration?" Harry asked, Ginny wouldn't know as she was a year below them, in her 5th.

"Neville isn't great in _any_ of his classes, except maybe Herbology. You can't tell just by looking at him while he studies hopelessly? And – Harry – I don't _need _to contemplate our plan, anyway. I'm doing just fine without it."

With that, she suddenly leaned over and kissed him quickly. Then, without a word, and her cheeks going beet red, she hurried away across the castle grounds towards the front steps.

Harry was left staring after her in the chilly late September air, wondering not about the kiss (because that was very easy to interpret), but as to why he hadn't thought to wear a sweatshirt that morning.

* * *

A/N: Boys are _very_ oblivious, aren't they?


	8. Of Slytherins and Gryffindors

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: Yet again, a refresher: I don't own these characters. But I do own this story, and the right to tweak it in any way, shape or form that I want. You do not own Harry Potter (I'm just assuming that you're not Ms. Rowling – sorry if you are!), and you do not own this story or plot. Please don't use it, and thank you for reading. Sorry it's taken so long to update!

**Chapter Eight: Of Slytherins and Gryffindors**

* * *

_Wednesday, September 25th_

There were several different viewpoints towards Draco and Cho now being a 'couple.' The Slytherins thought it was disgusting, because who would want to date a loser like Chang? Half of the Ravenclaws thought it was sweet, because at least Cho wasn't pining over Harry or the long-gone Cedric. And the other half of the Ravenclaws were just as disgusted as the Slytherins, because, well – it was _Malfoy_. But what could you do, after all?

Draco was actually not too happy with his plan, since Ginny had not shown one speck of interest in him; or in leaving Harry. He could put up with Cho for the time being, but he didn't know how long it would be until he cracked. The whole spiel of Cho's endless giggling, and his constant smiling was a never-ending pressure.

On the other hand, Cho wasn't disappointed at all that Harry was smitten with Ginny Weasley. She was perfectly content with the fact that people truly left her alone when she was with Malfoy. Because, after awhile, you can get bored of being popular. And Malfoy was at least catering to her every whim, even if the mushiness was fake.

So could it be that Cho was falling in love with Draco Malfoy, son of a Death Eater?! And could it be that Draco wasn't in love with her? Well, we're about to find out. Observe, Wednesday morning breakfast...

"Honey, would you like me to butter your toast? Or, perhaps, would you like some jelly? Do you like strawberry or blueberry or..."

"ENOUGH!" shouted Draco, his face quickly going from the usual pale to pink, then bright red, then magenta, "I've HAD IT with your stupid giggling, and all of the smiling, and the hugs! It's bad enough to have to witness everyone else at it, not to mention stupid, famous Potter and his lovesick girlfriend! I'm _THROUGH_ with you, Chang!" He jumped up as his last words rang throughout the Great Hall. All of the students were staring at him, Peeves had stopped midway through emptying a carton of juice on Seamus' head, and even Dumbledore and the teachers were watching.

Cho, who had joined him a few minutes ago from the Ravenclaw table, just stared at him. She just stared at him for a minute, calm as can be...and then the waterworks started. Her eyes crinkled up and tears gushed down her cheeks as she wailed, "DRACO! DON'T LEAVE ME! I – I LOVE YOU!"

Draco looked at her disgustedly, and then pulled her up by her arms. He led her over to the Ravenclaw table and made her sit down. Then, suddenly, his eyes went even colder. "I don't like you. I've had enough of this. You are a stupid, blubbering girl, and I think that even Potter could do better than you."

Now the tears stopped. Again, Cho stared at him, but angry bits of pink were now evident in her cheeks. "I love you A LOT, Draco Malfoy. And I'm not going to give up."

But Draco wasn't listening, he was already halfway back towards the Slytherin table. Around him, slowly, the Hall filled up with chatter once more, and Dumbledore went back to his chilled asparagus juice. Cho stopped in the middle of the Hall and just looked around her, embarrassed and frustrated and feeling very unloved indeed.

_On the other side of the Hall, still Wednesday, September 25th..._

A large, tawny brown owl with large amber eyes and a sharp beak swooped above the student's heads, clutching a playing-card-sized package wrapped in brown paper. A small note was attached, and as the owl dropped it down to Dean Thomas, the package began to whistle urgently.

"All right, I'm coming, I'm coming, keep your socks on" Dean muttered, hurriedly untying the note.

**_'Dean-_**

**_Don't open this at the table; it would cause a lot of suspicion. As we haven't put it on the market yet – Ron and Hermione will be our testers. Now, all you have to do is feed them one candy each. The effects will last for ONE HOUR ONLY, and during that hour, their tongues will each turn light blue. When the hour is up, the property will wear off and so will the color. Remember, they will tell EVERYONE they see what they think about them during that hour, so tread lightly. (Yeah, right)._**

**_-Fred and George Weasley'_**

The owl had landed on the handle of Dean's goblet full of pumpkin juice, and it hooted once, very loudly, staring at the package. As Dean reached for the package, the owl flew off towards the tall windows that lined the Hall. Inside the wrapping was a brightly pink-colored box, with fancy writing that proclaimed:

**'The Sweetie – The Truth-Telling Candy That's As Sweet As You'll Be'**

Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Dean stuffed the package in his robe pocket. He leaned across the table towards Seamus (who now had juice all over his head, courtesy of Peeves) and Neville, who were discussing Quidditch tactics. Harry was too busy talking to Ginny – well, rather, listening to her talk as he scanned the Daily Prophet for nasty stories about the Ministry of Magic (his favorite).

"Okay, guys, we're all set," Dean said, lowering his voice down to a whisper so that Seamus and Neville had to lean in as well to hear him. "At precisely o-nineteen hundred hours today, everyone evacuates the Gryffindor Common Room and stands on the dormitory steps. According to Parvati, everyone should be able to see but not be seen by Ron and Hermione. This way we'll have witnesses. Anyway, Harry is going to come bounding in and toss a candy to Ron, and lend Hermione a piece of gum with the candy in it, powdered."

"What if Hermione doesn't want to be lent a piece of gum? Then what? Or what if Ron snatches it out of Hermione's hand? Or if -" Neville said as he started to hyperventilate, sure that something could and would go wrong. But Seamus cut him off with a poke in the side, and Dean continued.

"If that does happen, then I'm going to put some of the powdered Sweetie into Hermione's glass of water that she always has around for studying. Harry will be the distraction."

Harry heard his name being said, and turned his head, "What am I?"

"You could hear us? How many people could hear that? That was the most whispery whisper that whisperers everywhere couldn't have heard when it was whispered!" Seamus said, trying to extend his vocabulary by seeing how many times he could use a word that had 'whisper' in it.

"Well, I dunno, maybe I have freak ears or something." Harry said, going back to his Daily Prophet with a sigh. Ginny faked a pout and said in a baby-talk voice, "No, my little Hawwy-wawwy doesn't have freak ears. My little Hawwy-beary has cute ears!"

Harry went bright red as Ginny continued to feign cooing over him. This whole charade was getting a bit awkward, why couldn't they just tell everyone it wasn't real? Then again, why wasn't it real if he liked her so much? And, she definitely liked him, after that kiss yesterday.

Ginny was thinking about that exact thing: why can't this be real?

* * *

A/N: I actually knew a boy who could make his face go from normal to pink to red then to magenta. Of course, once the teacher saw what the boy was doing, she made him go to the Health Room. Just thought I'd throw in that random bit of trivia. (Jen – do you remember who it was? Think 'I Will Survive'.) Here comes the next chapter, but please review first. :-) 


	9. At ONineteen Hours

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: Chapter number nine. Love potion number nine. See the connection? Actually, this chapter has nothing to do with that (real) song, or a potion of any kind. But this author's note does have to do with the fact that I don't own Harry, or any of his little friends. I hope you're enjoying it so far.

**Chapter Nine: At O-Nineteen Hundred Hours**

* * *

_Wednesday, September 25th_

At precisely o-nineteen hundred hours, every Gryffindor student marched up the steps to their dormitories and sat, waiting and watching, doing exactly as they were told. Lavender had somehow gotten hold of a bullhorn and had been shouting directions through it as it blasted in Parvati's ear.

"You there! Budge up a little, so Colin can breathe! Hey, little girl! Move quicker, we haven't got all day!"

Seamus sighed as he watched this, but decided not to interfere and instead joined Neville and Dean on one of the steps. After breakfast that morning, they'd pulled Harry and Ginny aside and filled them in on their parts in the plan. Right now, Harry and Ron were at the Quidditch pitch practicing for Saturday's match against Ravenclaw, and Hermione and Ginny were taking a walk around the lake. Ginny would tell Hermione she'd forgotten something on one of the Common Room tables, and could Hermione go and get it. At the same time, Harry and Ron would head up to the Common Room and Harry would make his exit by needing to go and 'grab his quill from the library'.

So, Ron and Hermione would both get into the Common Room at the same time – and then Parvati would seal the door from the inside. People (like Harry) could still get in by using the password, but no one could get out until she preformed the counter-charm. Hermione wouldn't even be able to charm her way out, since the spell only worked for the person who cast it. To get them to eat the candy, Harry would come in, do his part, and then go up the stairs to 'take a nap'.

But that still left Ginny outside and clueless as to what was happening inside. That was why after Ron and Hermione had left, Ginny was going to meet Harry outside of the Quidditch pitch and get his broom. She would fly up to one of the Common Room windows to watch the scenario.

"Lavender!" Parvati hissed, grabbing her arm and dragging her to a half-empty stair, "I hear noises outside!" She sat, but Lavender dropped the bullhorn and said just loud enough so that everyone on the stairwell could hear: "Enough!"

The students fell silent and held their breaths as Hermione and Ron entered the Common Room, bickering again, this time over a missing bottle of ink.

"Ron, I handed it to you and said, 'Hold this for a second, so that I can check my bag for my Defense Against the Dark Arts book.' And you said, 'Okay," and then you and Harry went off to eat dinner. Where did it go, Ron?"

As Hermione sighed and checked the various tabletops for Ginny's missing scarf, Ron replied in a huff, "I gave it back to you at dinner, Hermione. I didn't lose it! Honest!"

Hermione grabbed at the edge of a gold-and-scarlet piece of fabric that was Ginny's scarf, and went over to look Ron straight in the eye. "Ronald Billius Weasley. That was my good ink that cost a bundle. I got it in France when I was on holiday. And now it's _gone_." With that, she walked towards the portrait hole and tried to push open the door. But it wouldn't budge.

"Ah! It – won't – move!" Hermione panted, throwing her weight against the portrait in case it was stuck. Nothing happened, and so Ron, temporarily forgetting the squabble, went and tried to help.

In a last attempt, Ron took out his wand and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Alohomora! Alohomora!" He gave Hermione a quizzical look when it didn't work and she tried several different counter-charms unsuccessfully before admitting that they were indeed stuck in the Common Room. In defeat, Hermione wandered over to a couch, pulled a bottle of water out of her bag that she had been carrying, and began to read a book entitled, 'Hippogriffs and Trolls – Everything You Need to Know about Magical Creatures.'

Just then, Harry walked through the portrait hole, holding not one but several quills that he'd 'misplaced' in the library earlier that day. "Harry!" Ron almost screamed, "Don't shut that –" But the portrait had already swung closed behind him and Ron finished dejectedly, "Door."

"Why not?" asked Harry, knowing perfectly well why not. Save for that had been the plan, after all. Some of the students on the girl's dorm stairwell snickered, but were quickly silenced by a steady, evil glare from Lavender.

"Because now we're stuck in here with nothing to do! The portrait won't open from inside! I'm bored...and I'm _hungry_!" Ron wailed, flopping down on a squashy armchair rather loudly.

Hermione remarked over her shoulder, still paging through her book, "Ron, you're always hungry. All you think about is food. You look at Harry and you see a roast beef. You look at McGonagall and you see a suckling pig. Get over it, we just ate dinner."

Ron just stared at her in disbelief, seeing not Hermione, but a lamb chop. Harry snapped him out of it by throwing a handful of green-wrapped, mint-sized candies at Ron's feet. Ron dove for them, and hurriedly stuck three in his mouth at the same time.

"Fanks, Hawee," Ron said through a mouthful of candy. (A/N: To see how that would sound through a mouthful of candy, I actually chewed some Double Bubble and said it. It tasted quite good.) Harry nodded, and walked over to Hermione, pulling out two sticks of gum from one of his robe's pockets.

"Hey, Hermione, want a piece of gum? It always helps me study," Harry explained, holding out the stick with the white wrapper to her. He popped the other one in his mouth, and Hermione, not even looking up from her book, took it. "Thanks."

Ron was now making absurd faces for absolutely no reason, and Harry could see as Ron stuck his tongue out that it was a light shade of periwinkle blue. Harry knew he had to hurry upstairs before they started to tell him that they thought he was a crazy scar-headed boy.

"Okay, well, I'm going to go take a nap. Ron, if Seamus or Neville or Dean comes in, can you ask them not to come up? I really need some peace and quiet," Harry said, heading for the stairs.

Hermione waved one hand to show that she understood and Ron called out goofily to Harry's retreating back, "Goodbye, loopy!"

* * *

A/N: Never thought I'd end a chapter with the word 'loopy'. Then again, I never thought that I'd actually make it to the 10th chapter. That's right – the next chapter will be the 10th one! On we go...


	10. “Hand Over The Galleons And Nobody Gets ...

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: If you've been reading the author's notes, you will have already been aware that none of this is mine, except for the plot. You should also be aware that Skiving Snackboxes aren't selling very well in Hogsmeade, Ron's tongue is now light blue, Draco liked to stare at Ginny's butt and that this is the gang's 6th year at Hogwarts. Have you been paying attention? Thanks for all of the loyal and not-so-loyal reviewers! I _really_ appreciate it!

**Chapter Ten: "Hand Over The Galleons And Nobody Gets Hurt"**

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Hermione's eyes went out of focus for a minute, and her book slid out of her grasp and down to the floor. All of a sudden, her tongue tingled for a moment, and then grew very warm. This lasted for about three seconds. Hermione gained focus again, and ran over to the mirror above the fireplace. Spitting the gum into her hand, she could see that her tongue was – was it? – light, periwinkle blue.

"Ron, something was wrong with that gum and – _oh_...you're...you're...very cute today," Hermione said, as the truth-telling effects started to work their magic upon her senses. Her eyes went very wide as she said this, and she considered running for the door, but then remembered that it was locked.

"Um – er – right, okay...and, er...Hermione...you're very pretty yourself," Ron replied, getting red around his ears as he spoke. He had no clue why they were saying these things, or what was happening, but there was no way out of the room.

"Ron, what's going on? I thought I was studying my book about how hippogriffs have all sorts of magical properties, and how...I like you, Ron," Hermione faltered out, as her entire face began to redden. She could feel the heat creeping up to the tips of ears as she stared at her feet.

Ron just sputtered under his breath for a minute and then sighed and said, "Yes. No. _Okay_. I – like you, too, if me breaking a miniature Krum into pieces is any indication. It's your call," he finished with a smile, remembering when Harry had confronted him about the miniature arm he found under his bed on Boxing Day in their 4th year.

"Yeah, that would make it a bit obvious. But why wasn't I informed of this miniature, broken Krum? Wouldn't Harry have told Ginny, and Ginny would have told me? Or someone that would have told me? So how long have you liked me for?" Hermione grinned, and sat on the edge of one of the couches in front of the flickering fire.

It was beginning to get a bit dark outside, and Ginny had to fly a bit closer to the window to see. Hearing was no trouble, as she had grabbed one of her pairs of Extendable Ears before leaving for the walk with Hermione. Inside, Harry was watching, basically captivated, while Seamus and Neville were stifling back their laughter. They found this very amusing, but were restraining themselves from too much noise in the sake of the extremely profitable bet.

Ron considered his answer for a few moments, and then said thoughtfully, "I guess since the troll thing in our first year, definitely since you were obsessed with Lockhart in our second. Harry didn't figure it out until third year, after our fight about Crookshanks and Scabbers. Wait – why aren't you answering any questions? Why are **you** asking all of the questions?"

"Because I'm a good listener, and it was pretty obvious that I liked you ever since – well, forever, I guess. I think I really knew it after the Yule Ball, though. That stupid fight – 'Next time ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort,'" Hermione mimicked herself from two years before. Somewhere, very faintly, she thought she heard a giggle.

"Ron? Did you hear that?" Hermione asked, looking around her but seeing only empty chairs, tables and sofas. Ron looked at her, puzzled, and shook his head no. Hermione sighed, assumed she was imagining things, and pulled out a half-knitted elf hat from her schoolbag.

"Hermione! Are you still trying to free those elves? You know, Dobby took – er..." Ron started, and then caught himself as he remembered that Hermione didn't know Dobby kept all of the hats.

"Dobby what?" Hermione asked, jumping up to face him, the elf hat clutched in her hand. She stalked over to where Ron had been standing in front of the fire and glared at him menacingly. "Dobby took my hats, is that what you were going to say? I bet you've been keeping this from me for goodness-knows-how-long and –" Hermione was cut off, as Ron had unexpectedly kissed her.

"_Awww_," came two dozen or so female voices from around them as they broke apart. Someone, sounding suspiciously like Harry, yelled, "What a Kodak moment!" Hermione finally understood, grinned, and then threw her hands up and called, "Okay, you guys can come out now!"

Slowly, the Gryffindors began to emerge from the stairwells. Parvati and Lavender were crying happily, Harry was beaming, Neville and Seamus and Dean were making disgusted faces, and Ginny was pounding on the window to be let in.

As several students ran over to unlock the window for Ginny (who was still hovering outside), Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were standing in front of the fireplace.

"You guys just won us about two hundred galleons. Good work," Harry congratulated them with a chuckle. Ron just stared at him with a confused expression, and so Harry had to tell them the basis of the whole plan to get them together. And then about the bet – that really ticked Hermione off.

"You were betting on us, Harry James Potter?" Hermione seethed, with her I'm-Going-To-Kill-You-So-You'd-Better-Start-Running expression plastered on. "This was all about the **money**?! Harry, you little –"

Harry stopped her by putting a hand up, and replying, "If it makes it any better, Hermione, I'll buy you a replacement for that ink that Ron lost. We'll special-order it from France."

Hermione grinned, and Ron yelled at the top of his lungs, "I DID NOT LOSE IT! SHE DIDN'T HAND IT TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE!" So, of course, Hermione had to argue back. Soon, they were bickering once again about the ink that had gotten misplaced. Then Hermione gave up and just kissed Ron instead. It was easier than fighting.

Ginny snuck up behind Harry, who was clearing his throat every few seconds and trying not to stare at his friends as they kissed. Harry jumped and spun around as Ginny poked him in the spine.

"What was that for -" Harry began, but Ginny followed Ron and Hermione's example and just kissed him. Then she looked him straight in the eye and said, "I love you, Harry. And I shouldn't have needed a dare to tell me that."

"I love you too, Ginny. So – are we dating for real?" Harry said, and finished it with a laugh. Hermione grinned at them and Ron said in a joking tone, "Well, Gin, I don't know if he's good enough for you, I mean, come on! We're talking Harry, here!"

They all laughed, and around them, everyone began to clap quite loudly. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny weren't really a group of four anymore – they were more like two couples that just happened to be best friends.

Seamus waved his hands and the crowd began to quiet down. "We'd like to thank our sponsors, Fred and George Weasley, for making the candies. Since they seemed to work very well, the Weasley twins will be putting them on the market very soon." He paused and pulled the betting list from his pocket. "Okay, now, just hand over the galleons and nobody gets hurt."

Dean, Seamus, Neville and Harry just beamed as the rest of the crowd groaned, and soon the boys with the bet were very rich indeed.

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A/N: Aw, I love fluff. Especially the marshmallow kind :-). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it because this story IS NOT OVER. Oh, no. This is just the beginning – well, actually, the first chapter was the beginning. The next chapter will also be the last chapter, but I promise it'll be good - and EXTREMELY fluffy. Reviews are appreciated very, very much.


	11. Epilogue

**Not Your Ordinary Love Story**

_by LondonWitch_

A/N: Thanks to all of my reviewers. I'd rather not reply to each one individually, since that would take a very long time and I don't have the time, so I just want to say thank you for everything. This will be the last chapter, and I'm going to try and not make it too sappy. No promises, though - and if you don't get it by now that I own none of this except for the plot, you need to go back over and read the author's notes again. If you have any comments, please email me. Also, I have a Harry Potter website, and if you'd like me to put up a link to your FanFic, put it in your review or email me. Thanks!

**Epilogue: At Graduation**

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"And in conclusion, I feel that we have learned everything that Hogwarts has to offer. From the subtle science of Potions to the exciting art of Charms, let us carry our newfound knowledge into the ever-growing, ever-changing magical world. Thank you, graduating class of 2005!"

Hermione was beaming as she stepped down from the podium after concluding her Valedictorian speech. It was obvious that not everyone agreed that the classes were captivated (like Draco Malfoy, who was sporting a smug frown), but at least they had been paying attention. Harry and Ron were grinning at her as she took her seat between them, and Dumbledore replaced her spot at the head of the crowd.

"It has been my deep, wonderful pleasure of getting to know all of you throughout these marvelous seven years. I have only one word for you..." Dumbledore stated, a knowing smile on his face, "Goodbye!"

A half-hour later, the students, parents in attendance, and faculty had crowded around the generous buffet tables that lined the walls in the Great Hall. All of the Weasleys were there, celebrating Ron's graduation, as well as Hermione's parents who were there for their daughter. Harry had invited Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody, and the whole Weasley clan was like his family, anyway.

Everything had worked out in the end, the way that everyone (well, more like Harry and Ron and Hermione and Ginny), had planned. Harry and Ginny were a couple, Ron and Hermione as well. Ron had even accepted that Harry was a good boyfriend for Ginny, though it had taken awhile for Bill and Charlie to get used to seeing them together.

"Ah, I never thought we'd make it," Ron said, picking up his fork and spearing a piece of chicken, "After all, who'd actually survive Snape, _every_ day, _all_ day for seven years?"

"But we didn't have Snape every day, all day," Hermione said from next to him, sighing because of Ron's inaccuracy and bad table manners (would he ever learn?), "We only had him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for almost all of the years."

"Well, I'm just glad Ron will be out of my hair from now on. I was getting tired of him chiding me about my homework every night," Ginny remarked, she and Harry were sitting with Ron, Hermione, and every other sibling and parent of those four.

"Oh yes, that's just Ron's place, though, Ginny," Harry laughed, raising his eyebrows at Ron, "Even though he didn't really do his homework and didn't care who nagged him, including Hermione who is his girlfriend, he was still in the position to tell you what to do."

"Ronald? Is this true? Did you not do your homework every night? And here I was, thinking that Hermione was keeping you two in line!" Mrs. Weasley said disapprovingly, looking up from her casserole with a grim face. Ron kicked Harry under the table, and as he winced, Hermione spoke up.

"Well, you see, Mrs. Weasley, as hard as I tried, neither one of them really put forth the effort, so eventually I just – " Hermione was cut off by Ron, who was kicking her ankle quite hard as well.

Ginny just laughed, and all of a sudden a loud POP! came from the end of the table where Fred and George were sitting with their wives, Angelina and Katie (yes, the ones who were on the Quidditch team for a long while). Everyone looked up, surprised, and Mrs. Weasley gave them one of her menacing You'd-Better-Start-Running-While-You-Still-Can looks.

"Sorry," Fred said with an odd frown, "They're this new product that turns bland-tasting food into something that's actually edible. But we didn't expect them to make so much noise. Last time we tested them, they were actually quite quiet."

"Not that we don't like noise," George added as he crammed spoonfuls of tomato soup into his mouth, managing to talk at the same time. (Watch out, Crabbe, you've got competition!)

As Angelina and Katie scolded them for their behavior, Ron gave a loud belch and announced that he was done. Everyone feigned shock that he wasn't going to eat a whole other meal, but he just shrugged and said, "Hey, Harry and Ginny and Hermione, want to go for one last quick walk? As the four of us?"

Harry nodded, smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley one of those all-knowing smiles, and gave Ginny a hand up. While the rest of the Weasleys waved them off, the two couples made their way out of the Hall, and outside into the blooming garden. The sky was getting a bit darker, but fairies were glistening over tall rosebushes and the moon glowed above.

"Can you believe it? Our last walk, all together, at Hogwarts?" Hermione sighed, smiling up at the sparkling stars, "Poor Gin, you're stuck with Snape for another year."

Harry waited, but Ginny didn't answer. When he turned, he saw that she was crying silently, tears streaming down her face. Harry nodded for Ron and Hermione to go on ahead, he turned to Ginny and said softly, "What's wrong?"

"It's just that –" Ginny sobbed into Harry's shoulder, "I'm not going to see you – for a whole more year and then – you'll probably be too busy and then –"

"And then what, Ginny? And then will you marry me?" Harry said, and slowly he knelt down in front of her and pulled out a small box from his pocket. Ginny gasped, and just looked at him for a moment – until she broke out into tears again and nodded yes.

They both smiled at each other as Harry put the ring on her finger, and as she marveled at it, she said, "But what about school? And my parents?"

"I've asked them," Harry replied, as they began to walk along the path again, hand in hand, "And there's really nothing wrong with a one-year engagement. Or a three or four-year one, however long you like. I still want us to finish schooling, have careers. But I want us to be together forever."

At this point, they saw Ron and Hermione on the path in front of them. They were watching something in the bushes, and when they heard Harry and Ginny approaching, motioned for them to be quiet

"**WOULD YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, CHANG**?" Draco Malfoy's voice cut through the silence, and all of a sudden he ran out of the bush (where he had apparently been cornered), followed by Cho Chang. She was looking almost Rita-Skeeter-ish, as she was wearing pink cat-eye glasses with one lens missing and her nails were badly chipped.

"Wait," Ron said, laughing at them as they raced to the castle steps. Cho caught up with Draco and tried to hug him, and Ron added, "Didn't she graduate a year ago?"

"Yes, but I think she never really got over Draco. Hold on – that's going to go with my memory of Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret." Hermione said jokingly, and then she turned to Harry and Ginny. "Are you okay, Gin?"

Ginny nodded, and said, "I'm more than okay. Look!" She showed Hermione her ring. Hermione whirled around to Ron, who wasn't surprised. "Did you know about this? No one bothers to tell me anything, anymore! Take the miniature Krum for example!"

"Well, if Harry or I had told you anything about that, it would've spoiled this surprise," Ron said with a smile, and then proceeded to propose to Hermione. She said yes, of course. There would have been no point to this story if she hadn't.

And; except for Draco and Cho, they were all very happy with what graduation had brought upon them.

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A/N: Finished! Now I have time for that soapbox derby car I'm supposed to be building for next Memorial Day! I'm not kidding, I swear. It's a long story. But you don't want to hear that one.


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